TMNT A to Z
by FreyReh
Summary: My TMNT A-Z Challenge... I'll be participating as well! No time limit, do it at your own pace... Well... at least I hope someone decides to do this... if you do, let me know so I can read your ideas! Rated T for now... might go up if I decide to take it up a notch... No designated series, might have some 2k12, then decide to go back to 2007 movie... ;)
1. The List

**Dru's TMNT A to Z Challenge! **

Okay so I'm doing this for the fun of it and I would like to challenge my readers on , The Lair, and on Tumblr to perhaps do this for fun as well? Honestly it would be interesting to see the different ways the single worded prompts will take writers! If you're on tumblr or DA and decide you'd rather do art instead of writing go for it! ;p

**HERE IS MY LIST!**

_Angle  
Blink  
Crayon  
Dimple  
Egg  
Flowers  
Grow  
Horror  
Ink  
Junk  
Klutz  
Lemon  
Misery  
Nickel  
Obsessed  
Pull  
Quest  
Radiant  
Snake  
Turbulence  
Under  
Vine  
Watermelon  
Xenia  
Yank  
Zipper_

As I said, do this or don't... HAVE FUN IF YOU DO!

I'm posting this here just encase I get the need for something nasty later on down the list... hehehe...


	2. Angle

Note: First one is short and sweet, others will probably be longer... maybe even shorter... depends... hah...

Title: Angle  
Summary: Donatello plays what he sees as a "simple game" against Casey.  
Character(s): Donatello, Casey, Raphael  
Rated: PG  
Setting: 2012 TMNT  
Dis: I don't own TMNT

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Donatello stuck out his tongue between the gap of his upper row of teeth, rust colored eyes focused on the task at hand. The smooth, polished cue he held felt familiar against the roughened skin of his hands: though it was shorter and lighter than his bo staff he was still an expert at handling the piece of equipment. Numbers and equations formulating the probability of making this shot popped up before his eyes, invisible to others but clear as day to him as he slowly pulled the cue back between his opposable thumb and what would be considered his middle finger. Inhaling his eyes quickly scanned over the field of solids and stripes one more time before launching the stick forward, the chalk covered end slamming into the white cue ball. A small billow of blue dust puffed up where the cue ball used to be as the white sphere ricocheted off the side of the table, slithered between a solid, yellow two-ball and the dreaded black eight-ball: and then slowly rolled to kiss the purple-stripped twelve into the corner pocket. Smirking he looked up into wide, blue eyes that narrowed suspiciously.

"You play this before?"

"Nope," said Donatello as he calmly grabbed the chalk piece and twisted over the end of his cue. "First time."

"Seriously?" asked the overly-muscular hockey player that recently joined their little group.

Donatello hated him from the moment he saw him, mostly because of the attraction he saw in the depths of April's eyes when she first laid eyes on him. Jealousy was an ugly part of him that was coming out more and more. Oh, April acted like she couldn't stand the older teen but Donatello could read her like a book. Had always been able to… He knew it was only a matter of time before she stopped turning the hockey player down, which would hurt: since she had made it clear to Donatello that they would only be friends.

"Really, Case, it's his first time," chirped in his brother, Raphael. Donatello lazily turned his gaze back down to the table. Raphael was another that took a large interest in the hockey masked vigilante. They were the best of friends, which HAD mellowed out the lair a little bit. It seemed like whenever Raphael felt the need to pound something in, Casey was there to help direct him to a group of Dragons. THAT was the ONE thing Donatello liked about the brute: the ability to deflect Raphael's temper.

"It's honestly not that hard," said Donatello smoothly, lowering the chalk back down onto the smooth, wooden surface of the table. "All you need to do is map out the correct angle of which you want the cue ball to go, as well as predict the correct amount of force needed to move the ball and taking its trajectory into-"

"Donnie! Take the shot, man!" interrupted Raphael, rolling his radioactive green eyes. "Before I map out the path of my foot to your shell!"

"Touchy, Raph," chastised Donatello before bending forward. "This is an art. Something not to be rushed. Also… Fifty bucks is on the line!"

"True." Raphael watched as Donatello lifted his pool cue, twisting and turning it certain ways before lining up his next shot. He smirked as Donatello called two more stripes to land in different pockets and when he masterfully carried out sinking the fourteen and thirteen into opposite pockets he twisted his head around to a gobsmacked Casey Jones. "Yer totally screwed. I told ya not to take that bet."

"Ah crap," grumbled Casey, already reaching into his wallet as Donatello lined up the eight-ball for the win.

**END**


	3. Blink

Title: Blink  
Summary: Everything can change in the blink of an eye.  
Character(s): April, Mikey, Don  
Genre: Angst  
Setting: 2k12  
Warning: Character Death  
Dis: I don't own TMNT

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Everything can change in the blink of an eye. I've found that out first hand. You can be walking with your dad down the street and all you do is blink and suddenly you are surrounded by alien robots. You can go from clinging to a helicopter rung, to falling to your death, and finally to being caught by an anthropomorphic turtle and all you can do is blink while watching the helicopter you fell from fly away with everything that mattered in your life in it. I now understand the saying '_don't blink or you might miss it'_.

Like today. Today had started off as an ordinary day and then it all changed quickly. I turned the corner, I blinked, and suddenly I was taken. All the training, all the practice I've been putting in with the guys and Splinter had been useless against Dogpound as he tied me up and tossed me into the van. I felt ashamed to have been taken so easily, without a fight. Luckily I had managed to shout out the command for making my phone self-destruct before they could use it against my friends.

My brothers.

I already know that the command sent a signal to the lair, and that they knew something was wrong. Despite my situation I smile, because even in this dire moment I think that everything is going to be okay. I scream as they haul me out of the van, the best way to draw attention is to scream. I barely contain my whimper as one of the Dragon henchmen backhands me and I taste blood in my mouth as he grips my elbow sharply.

That is when I hear it. The whirl of metal slicing the air before the sharp end of the shuriken embeds itself into the shoulder of the Dragon that just hit me. Taking this as a distraction I bend low and slide to the ground and bring up my tied feet and slam them into the Dragon's knees. I hear the clash of weapons, the menacing growl of Dogpound, and the dull thunks of bodies as they fall to the concrete. I manage to untie my bound feet and stand up as the last Dragon falls.

Or so I thought.

Brilliant smiles are all I see. Then I blink, and the smiles have transitioned to looks of horror and desperation. I open my mouth to ask what the problem is when I feel the sting of metal cutting into my flesh. I cry out in pain, someone shouts out my name as I fall to the ground. I start gasping. I can't breathe. Something is wrong.

"April!" Wide, blue eyes stare down at me. Panic. That is all I see in their depths as he kneels beside me. A large green hand covers my throat and applies pressure and I whimper. My throat… It's been sliced open by the same shuriken that had aided in my release. "Oh God… Oh God! Donnie! DONNIE!"

I hear screaming. It isn't me. It's Donnie. I manage to turn my head and I see his powerful arms and meaty fists bearing down on the Dragon that was no longer moving. Raph pulls him off the gangster and I open my mouth to call him over but no sound comes out.

I'm so tired.

"April!" I look up at Mikey just as Donatello comes to my side. "You're going to be fine."

"Keep your eyes open for me," whispered Donatello. Why did he sound so far away? "Dammit April! April! DON'T YOU DARE DIE!"

"You should see her, Donnie," I manage, wide blue eyes staring up at a sky filled with stars and a vision I haven't seen in ten years. "She's so beautiful."

"Who?" he asked, looking up at Raph, who is calling 9-1-1.

"My mom."

I blink, one last time, before my lids grow too heavy. I float and fade away, the opened arms of my mother greeting me as a tortured scream fades into nothing behind me. I am free. I am home in my mother's eyes. I look up at her, not believing. She smiles before taking my hand and leading me up higher and higher… I blink, and everything fades to white.

I am at peace.

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**END**


	4. Crayon

Note: I know this is long overdue… I feel like I say this a lot… haha. But I was mainly focused on my DtRH update and now that THAT story is complete I have time for all my smaller works… Finally! SO… Onward with the alphabet!

Dis: I don't own TMNT

**Crayon**

Title: Sadness In Colors  
Summary: Michelangelo reflects on an event during his childhood that still affects him to this day.  
Rated: PG (lang)  
Characters: Mikey, Frey(OFC from Frey and Unexpected), Shadow  
Genre: Drama

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Michelangelo sat on the floor of Frey's apartment watching as whom he considered his niece colored a picture. His observant baby blues stared as Shadow, Casey and April's daughter, made swirls of blacks and browns around numerous pieces of paper. There was no structure to the five year olds work, at least not this time. Their fridge at the lair had many pictures of flowers, rainbows, and an attempted puppy but nothing like these. He smiled as she took another piece of paper and did her best to color every spec of visible white away.

He didn't ask her why she wasn't using any colors, because something similar happened to him years ago and it shaped how he grew up. Back when he and his brothers were five or six, Master Splinter had come to the lair with a surprise. He handed each turtle a box of crayons and a large notepad of paper. All four of them had been happy to start the new activity and he had eagerly grabbed his box and sat at his favorite spot.

Black had been the first crayon he pulled out. He'd been five and had no plan just started scribbling. Numerous pages were covered in black in the span of minutes, flecks of the color crayon sticking to the paper. A shadow had come over him and he had looked up to see Splinter frowning. Worried that he had done something wrong Michelangelo had stopped coloring.

"Are you all right my son?" Splinter had asked.

"Yes," Michelangelo had answered.

"You are only using black. Why?"

The truth was that he had been so excited that he hadn't even bothered to look at the other colors. Setting the black aside he had pulled out his favorite color: orange. Slowly he made orange swirls and lines to blend in with the black and he looked up at his father for approval. Michelangelo had stopped coloring when seeing tears start to fall out of his father's eyes. Was this because he had used black?! He didn't like seeing him so sad. At that moment he had vowed to never use a black crayon ever again.

"There. There should always be some color to your life, my son. Never linger in the darkness."

"Okay," he had said, vowing to do his best to never let such a sad look cross over in his father's face. He supposed that was why he acted the way he had when he was younger, always goofing around. He wanted people to smile, regardless of his mood. He never allowed himself to have the same temper as Raph. Even Leo and Donatello let their demons out once in a while.

Him? He just locked them away. He sometimes worried when they would come out.

"Hey, Shadow," said Frey, sitting down and looking at the pages.

Michelangelo saw a familiar frown at the corner of Frey's lips and he panicked. Would Frey talk about her only using black? Would she open the door that would take Shadow down the same, lonely path he had taken? His feelings and emotions had almost crushed him in his younger years and he didn't want that for Shadow.

"Hi."

"I love your picture."

"S'not really a picture."

"Sure it is. I like it. Do you like black?" asked Frey, a panicked sweat now forming at the base of Mikey's neck.

"Yeah! I like all colors."

"Me too. I have a spare binder that we can start putting all your pictures in." Frey settled in closer to Mikey, her legs pressing against his as she snuggled against his side. "When you're done we can go find it."

"Okay," said Shadow with a smile, dropping the black crayon to switch to blue.

Frey looked up at Mikey and frowned, her hand going up to rest against his cheek.

"Hey you."

"Hey," he said, hand going up to cover hers.

"You okay?" she asked, brown eyes searching his. He smiled, bending down to press his lips to hers quickly before settling back in his position of the floor, shell resting against the couch.

"Never better," he answered, shifting forward to pick up the black crayon. He studied it for a moment before grabbing a piece of paper. He worked quickly, bold lines and curves pressing into the paper, the tip of the black crayon flat by the time he was done. Shadow had given up her project to watch him and he felt Frey's presence at his side. When he finished he settled back and he heard Frey gasp. It was a picture of her. The most beautiful thing in his life brought to life on a piece of paper using a black crayon.

"Holy cow!" said Shadow. "It's you Auntie Frey! Can ya draw me next, Uncle Mikey? Pllleeaassee?"

"Sure." Michelangelo reached for another piece of paper. "Now… You want horns on your head, right?"

"NO!" squealed Shadow, giggling behind her hands. "You're so silly!"

Michelangelo smiled before starting his drawing of Shadow. When he was done Frey had come back with the promised binder and Shadow instantly started putting her pictures inside. The picture Mikey drew of Shadow took the first slot followed by her black and blue vortex.

Later, after numerous stories about Princess Shadow and her turtle Knights, Mikey found Frey sitting on the sofa watching _Lethal Weapon 3_. He settled in beside her easily and wrapped at arm around her shoulders and she melted into him with a smile, eyes instantly drooping now that he was by her side.

"I forgot how good you are at drawing. You should keep it up," she said softly. "Maybe make that graphic novel you keep talking about."

"Yeah," he said, bending to press a kiss at the top of her head. "Maybe I will."

**END**


	5. Dimple

Note: I'll try to hit this prompt challenge I made up harder now. I recently started up a TMNT RPG (hosted at The Lair, URL in profile) and have been busy keeping tabs on that as well as other challenges on that site I've been cooking up. But now that I have some free time…

**DIMPLE**

Title: Special

Summary: After Karai asking April what was so special about her, April is left to wonder…  
Setting: 2k12, post 'Karai's Vendetta'.  
Rated: PG  
Dis: I don't own TMNT

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I stumble into the bathroom in my aunt's apartment, holding my arm to my side. It would be a while before I set foot in here again. After a long discussion which transitioned into me yelling and Splinter being stern-I relented to spending a lot more time in the lair until it was deemed safe for me to return to the surface. After my fight with Karai, I had to admit I was more than a little on edge and being in a top secret lair seemed a lot safer than in an apartment where Karai, the Kraag, or even Shredder himself could show up and take me.

Wincing, I pull off my shirt and stare up into the mirror. Karai's words come back to haunt me as I stare at my reflection. Just why WAS I special? I didn't look special. I looked… Ordinary. From my blue eyes to my red hair that I hate so much. My skin is pale, and I had freckles along with dimples. Dimples were deemed a defect, a deformity in the skin, so really: I didn't LOOK special.

As I said to Karai, I am failing at school: failing at life. I've lost both her parents, the hope of seeing my father again was growing dimmer each day. So why was it that when that acid spilled on me, that it had no effect? I could see it, the worry in all their eyes when it had no effect on me… Especially Donatello's.

Shaking these thoughts away I disrobe the rest of the way then slip on my new clothes I had taken from the drawer. Skipping my customary leggings I just slipped on a pair of jeans along with a different yellow top. I've always liked yellow, and tended to gravitate toward any article of clothing in that color. I brush the tangles out of my hair and pull it back up into a ponytail, wincing at the strain it put on my damaged arm. After tucking my headband back in place I look in the mirror and attempt a smile: then wince.

"Stupid dimples, stupid freckles, stupid Karai," I grumble before turning away.

I exit the bathroom. Sitting on my bed is Leonardo, whom had insisted on playing guard dog and following me home.

"Ready?" he asked after I stuff some items into my backpack.

"Yeah," I say.

He takes my bag and hauls it over his shoulder before coming up to me and giving me a one-armed hug. I stand still, shocked for a moment before returning the gentle hug with my one good arm. We stand like this for a while and I fight back the tears that wanted to come from the stress and sadness of the day.

"I like your freckles. AND your dimples." I blush furiously. He had HEARD me? Dang it. "They are a part of you. Embrace your differences. Besides, if anyone has a right to complain, it's me. This shell can be killer."

I pull back, my smile genuine. "Thanks, Leo."

"Sure," he said, opening the window before looking back at me. "Let's go home."

I smile again before taking his offered hand and disappearing into the night.

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**END**


	6. Egg

**Egg**

Title: Dr. Prankenstein Returns  
Summary: Don tries to do something special for April and it backfires  
Spoilers: Karai's Vendetta (POST 2x21)  
Rated: PG

Dis: I don't own TMNT

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I hesitated at the entrance of my bedroom before entering. It was dark; the only sound that of steady breathing. I had just wanted to check on her, to make sure she was still okay. Raph, of course, called me a stalker and then a creeper wanting to see a girl in my bed. Now, however, as I saw her beautiful form huddled in my blankets I fought the blush that wanted to paint my cheeks. She IS beautiful, everything about her: and she WAS in MY bed.

Fighting the wistful sigh I finished my quick assessment before silently exiting my room. Training was done for the morning and I wanted to do something productive. I could always calibrate the weapons systems in the Battle Shell, which was pretty much a trashcan that launched trash as well as a small gun that shot out manhole covers: the recent battles made me think that we might need better weapons. Like the missile launcher!

Then a thought came to me. April would be up soon! Perhaps to earn some points with her I could make her breakfast. Okay, okay, so I've been trying a lot lately and failing. It was starting to be a little bit disheartening every time she'd ignore a comment about me liking her. However, she was a family friend and a sister in arms: so making her breakfast would be more of a good deed than trying to get her to be my girlfriend.

I enter the kitchen. Leo and Master are sitting at the island, each with a cup of tea. I was only half listening to their conversation, something about a meditation technique, something I didn't have time for. Ever. Meditation was time wasted, in my book, time wasted when I could be working on a project. I open the fridge and take stock in what we have. I find a carton of eggs and figure that they would do. I wasn't sure how April liked her eggs but I guessed scrambled would be the best bet.

I put a pan on the stove and let it warm. I take out a bowl and whisk and take out an egg and crack it. It flows easily into the bowl: the yellow yolk shiny and slimy looking. I grab another egg and for some reason I don't catch that it's lighter feeling until I crack it against the bowl and POOF purplish pink smoke fills my vision as well as my lungs.

"EYAGH!" I cough and my eyes water. I blindly reach for the stove and turn it off before backing out of the kitchen. Leo and Splinter had abandoned their tea as well. Splinter looked annoyed, well so was I! "What the shell?!"

"Donatello! Why did you set off a smoke bomb in the kitchen?" asked Splinter, no, more like DEMANDED.

"Sensei I didn't mean to! I was making eggs and it was in the… egg …carton. MIKEY!"

"Hahaha!" Me, Master Splinter, and Leo turn to look down the hall at Michelangelo. He was doing a fist pump then clapped his hands together. "Dr. Prankenstein strikes again!"

"UGH!" Him and his damn jokes! Here I was trying to do something nice and Mikey ruined it. "Mikey! Get over here!"

"Zat ez my cue to skedaddle!"

Mikey ran but I was right on his heels. He might be the fastest, but I was the smartest, and I knew that the direction he was headed in through the sewers ended up as a-

"Wuh-oh!" Mikey turned around, nothing but a dead end in front of him. "Mercy, Donnie! It was only a joke!"

"You'll soon find out, dear brother," I say, cracking my knuckles for effect. "That I might not hit as hard as Raph, but… I get my point across."

"EEKKK Donnie! Let's just talk, Bro. No hard feelings, right? Donnie? Ow! My melon!"

After a moment I pull back with a frown and Mikey is wearing one of his own while rubbing the back of his head.

"Sheesh, all this just cause of an egg bomb? Sheesh!"

"It was more than just an egg bomb! I was making breakfast for April and-"

"Ohhh…." Mikey snapped his fingers and his eyes lit up as if a light bulb turned on. "You wanted to impress her with your culinary skills! Bro, let's be honest, I saved her from having to eat something YOU made."

"Hey!" I blushed lightly. Okay. Last time I was in the kitchen I HAD burnt dinner. "I think I can manage eggs!"

"Suuuuuuure…." Mikey walked past me.

"What? I CAN!"

We walked leisurely back to the lair. I headed back into the kitchen to not only air it out but to start breakfast all over again when I found April pouring milk into a cereal bowl. Instantly my shoulders dropped and even though she offered me a smile my mood was already sour.

"Morning, Donnie!" She walked past me, patting my on the shoulder. "I turned the fan on over the stove. For some reason, it smells like rotten eggs in here. Might have to do with the eggs sitting on the counter?"

I watch as she exits the counter and with a dramatic wail I plop myself onto the counter, forehead thunking against the concrete. Stupid eggs! Stupid Mikey! STUPID SMOKEBOMBS! Well, if I couldn't make April happy with a homemade breakfast, there was always lunch of dinner, but until then I had something else to do.

I had to plan out my revenge again Michelangelo.

**END**


	7. Flowers

**Flowers**

Title: Visiting Grandpa

Summary: A little girl is excited to visit her grandfather for the first time…  
Rated: PG  
Character: Leo, OFC  
Dis: I don't own TMNT

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Leonardo heard the pitter-patter of feet outside his door but kept his eyes closed as the hinges of the bedroom door creaked, signaling that someone was entering the room. He kept his eyes closed as the bed he rest upon dipped with an added weight. He smiled as a nose pressed against his and very slowly he opened his chocolate eyes to connect with the gray ones of his niece.

"Hi Lizzie."

"Unca Weo!" The child with strawberry curls that had stolen his heart from the moment he met her grinned as she stood up then promptly plopped down on his plastron. He grunted as the air was forced out of his lungs. "Today is the day I get to meet Grandpa."

"Yes," he said with a sad smile. "It is."

"Daddy said ta go back ta bed," said Lizzie, crawling off of Leonardo's plastron and instead plopping onto the empty side of the bed. "He's cranky in the morning."

"You should've met your dad when he was younger," said Leonardo, sitting up and pulling the blanket off. "He was cranky _all_ the time."

Lizzie giggled, pressing her hands against her mouth, her eyes sparkling. Leonardo stood and after putting on his belt and mask he held out his arms. Lizzie immediately got up and jumped into his arms. He hiked her up and then carried her out of his temporary bedroom into the hall. The farmhouse was quiet, a sound not being made save for the steady breathing and the occasional snore from his family. Lizzie held up a finger and pressed it to her mouth, making a shushing noise as he eased down the stairs.

"You're lucky I like to get up before the sun does, Lizzie."

"Unca Donnie and Auntie April sometimes does too. But only sometimes. I hafta knock before I go in their room, _ecuzzzz_ I caught dem kissing once!"

"Trust me," said Leo. "We _all_ have."

"Unca L-L-Weo?"

Lizzie was still struggling with her L's.

"Yes, Lizzie?"

"Can we pick f-wowers before we see Grandpa? Mommy and I take f-wowers to my other grandpa, I think Grandpa Sp-winter would wike them too."

"I think that's a good idea, Lizzie."

Leonardo made it to the main floor. When he woke up this early while up at April's family farmhouse he sometimes went out for a run or even meditated in the front yard until the sun had finally risen from its slumber. With Lizzie awake he instead went into the kitchen and sat her down at the table.

"Did you go potty, Lizzie?"

"Yes! Can I have cocoa cereal?"

"Sure."

Leo got out two bowls. He wasn't much of a cereal eater like Lizzie and her father, but he enjoyed a bowl or two with her. He poured the cereal and together they ate it. Leonardo reminded her to take small bites several times until he was gathering their bowls and spoons and setting them in the sink. Lizzie bolted for her coat and pulled it on along with her slip on shoes. He didn't worry about her legs getting cold due to her wearing flannel pajama bottoms. Soon, with the rising sun, they were out in the yard. Lizzie ran ahead but Leo kept a watchful gaze upon her as she started picking wildflowers. He smiled as a rabbit caught her eye and she did her best to chase it down, giving up when a different flower caught her attention instead.

His eyes drifted to a tall oak tree at the edge of the yard. They had gotten in late the other night, and along with helping Lizzie and getting unpacked he hadn't had time to go there. He wasn't about to now either without his brother being present with Lizzie. Behind him he heard the screen door squeak open, the stress of the spring, then the sound of the wood hitting the frame as it closed. The heavy shuffle in the grass alerted him as to who it was before he even spoke.

"Hey," said Raphael, voice laced with sleep. "She wake ya?"

"I was already awake." Once again Leonardo's eyes drifted to the tree. "She's excited to meet Splinter."

"Yeah." Leo glanced over at Raphael as he ran an evergreen colored hand down his bare face. "If I had ears they'd be talked off by now with how she went on." It was Raph's turn to look at the tree. "Five years. Can't believe it's been dat long."

"Yeah. I know."

"DADDY!"

Lizzie raced up to the brothers, hands filled with various flowers, her hair flying behind her as she sprinted. She made it to Raphael and he easily scooped her up in his large arms. She made care with the flowers, making sure none of the petals were squashed before she hugged him tightly around his neck.

"Hey, Squirt, what'cha up to?"

"Picking f-wowers for Grandpa."

"Oh… He'd like dat," said Raphael, eyes closing briefly.

"When can I meet him?" she asked, eyes imploring.

"Soon. Mommy's gotta get up first, cause she hasn't met him yet either."

"Oh." Lizzie shifted around in his arms. "Let's go wake her up!"

"Yeah, okay."

"Unca Weo says you were crabby when you were wittle," commented Lizzie as Raphael carried her back to the house.

"Oh he DID, did he?" asked Raphael, smirking as he looked back at Leonardo. Leonardo offered a sheepish smile as Raphael entered the house, the screen door bouncing closed behind him.

Leonardo swallowed thickly before staring at the tall tree. Slowly, he made the trek forward and soon was standing before a large, smooth stone with the name '_Splinter'_ engraved on it along with the year 2008. Leonardo got down on his knees and started cleaning the area around the rock, pulling out the weeds and extra-long grass. Finally, his hand rested atop the stone and he bowed his head.

"Father… I miss you… Raph and I can't believe it's been so long… I feel like it was just yesterday you were training us, molding us into the men we are today. We… We miss you so much but… we're okay. Raph met someone. You'd like her. You'll meet her and her daughter later. Raph has taken the role of father surprisingly well… Donnie and April are together still and have great news for you, but I won't spoil it, I want them to be the ones to tell you… Mikey and I are still searching for our other half but I'd like to think your hand is guiding us even in death… I love you…"

Leonardo looked up at the sound of the door in time to see Lizzie sprinting toward him. Behind her was Raphael, his arm slung around the shoulders of Lizzie's mother. The door opened again to reveal a disheveled April, her hand rubbing the bump that was her stomach as Donatello exited the house as well for he was never far behind her these days. Lizzie stopped in front of him and got a serious look on her face as she stared at the stone. Slowly she sunk down to her knees and placed the jumbled bouquet of flowers atop the stone.

"Hi Grandpa."

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**END**


	8. Grow

**GROW**

Title: Sprout  
Summary: A bored Mikey finds Leo gardening…  
Rated: G  
Dis: I don't own TMNT.  
Series: 2k12

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Mikey yawned, stretching his limbs and then barely catching his comic before it fell into the water below his tire swing. Breathing a sigh of relief he easily maneuvered from lounging on the tire to standing on solid concrete. He tossed his comic onto what they considered the couch and resting place in the lair before going out to find his brothers. He heard Donnie in his lab and the thought of bugging him sounded uber fun but then Don might go on about what it was he was doing, use big words, and… Mikey already found himself zoning out just thinking about it. It wasn't because he didn't always understand what Don said, it was just SUPER BORING!

Raph wasn't playing his game or beating up the punching bag. Mikey also didn't see Spike so either Raph was feeding him in the kitchen or off walking in the sewers with his buddy. Mikey found himself sometimes jealous of Spike, because Raph treated the pet a lot better than he did Mikey… And hit him a lot less too. Maybe he should get a cat? Mikey then remembered the incident with Mittens a while back and decided against that.

A noise in the dojo had Mikey making the trek upwards and there he found Leo, kneeling on some newspapers, hands stained with dirt. Curious, Mikey stepped forward and observed as Leonardo carefully deposited dirt into various containers from a clay pot to a washed out coffee tin. Mikey watched as Leo rummaged inside a plastic bag and pulled out various packets.

"Hello, Mikey," said Leo.

Michelangelo had been super quiet! How had Leo heard him?

"Sup, Bro? What'chu doing?"

"Planting some seeds. This is the one place in the lair that gets the most sunlight. Master Splinter thought it would be a good idea to grow some fresh vegetables before winter came."

"What do you have?" asked Mikey, taking a seat.

"Tomatoes, peppers, onions, and that long one over there have some carrots. Splinter said it was a good idea since we've been eating a lot of junk food lately."

"Hey! I had peppers on my pizza the other day," said Mikey in defense.

"True," said Leo with a smile. "But now we will have the options for other things."

"What's this?" asked Mikey, holding up another packet. "Flowers?"

Leo shrugged. "April bought the stuff. Might as well plant it, right?"

"Maarryyygolds," said Mikey, sounding it out. "Marigolds! Nice! Can I help?"

"You can be in charge of the flowers. First, put some dirt in that coffee can over there."

Mikey did that, then placed the appropriate amount of seeds into the dirt, covered them, and then watered them. His hands were just as dirty as Leo's when he was done and he then laid out on the front of his shell and watched the dirt with a careful eye: which began to twitch after a few moments.

"Nothing is happening!"

Leo chuckled, dusting off his hands.

"You need to give it time to grow, Mikey. It's just a seed and soon it will grow into a green sprout, and then finally a flower."

"Oh."

"Let's put these over here and maybe we can get Don in on this and put some lights together to shine down on the plants."

For a few days, Mikey would wake up and check on his flowers. Leonardo soon figured out that the flowers were Mikey's thing so he left them alone, instead tending to his vegetables. Don had fashioned some lights together so that the plants could get florescent lighting even at night. Splinter was happy that Michelangelo found something to do other than watch TV and read comics. Raphael teased them at first, until Splinter pointed out that Leo was also growing some lettuce for Spike, after that Raphael had offered awkward thanks before walking away.

Then, one morning, Mikey checked on his flowers and gave a squeak of delight. He shouted for Leo who came running in looking wary and on guard. Mikey proudly held up his coffee can and inside it were three, green sprouts.

"LOOK!" Mikey peered inside the can, blue eyes practically glowing. "They're growing!"

"Yes," said Leo with a chuckle as he examined his trays. "Look, Mikey! Here, there are some onions coming up and our peppers too!"

"This is so sweet!"

Weeks passed and as Mikey's flowers bloomed, the vegetable garden grew. It became a family activity. Raph and Don helped Leo with watering and when the lair started to cool even more at night they started picking the healthy looking vegetables. However, Mikey started to notice that his blooms were wilting and he turned his sad eyes to Leo one morning when his flowers had almost completely wilted.

"Leo! They're dying!"

"Marigolds have a short blooming cycle, Mikey."

"But…" Mikey looked down at his plant dejectedly. "What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing," said Leo, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder. "These flowers aren't meant to last that long. If you want, we can read up. I bet there are plants out there whose flowers come back year after year."

"Really?" asked Mikey.

"Really," said Leo with a smile.

"These ones are still okay," said Mikey, fingers sliding over the delicate blooms. "Do you think that next year we can get more than one flower, too?"

"Yeah," said Leo. "Don is already talking about making a better gardening system for next year."

"Yeah," said Mikey with a grin. "Don't want Raph's shell squishing the tomato plants during practice again, do we?"

"Ugh, don't remind me," said Leo with a roll of his eyes.

Then, year after year, well into their adulthood: the turtles continued to garden. Michelagelo had what many gardeners called a '_green thumb'_. Yes, so his thumb is actually green, but it seemed that once he got the hang of gardening whatever he touched; be it a seedling or a dying geranium, he always knew how to make it come to life. There was always something blooming in the lair. Now, he almost lovingly petted the lavender plant he'd been working so hard to grow. A door opened behind him and he smiled as Leo came to stand beside him.

"Beautiful, Bro," said Leo.

"Yeah," said Mikey. "Thanks for showing me all those years ago."

"The tomato plants are looking a little sad."

"Did Raph knock into them again?" joked Mikey, earning a chuckle.

"No, just looking a little wilty is all."

"I'll take a look. We all know how Miwa can be if she doesn't get her fresh tomatoes."

"She still scares you after all these years, Mike?" asked Leo with a chuckle.

"No." Michelangelo grinned stepping away from his flowers. "In fact she helped me with the flowers this year. She's hoping to teach our future nephew or niece my skills. Right now it's her HORMONES that scare me."

Leo chuckled again before heading out toward the separate part of the lair that housed their garden.

"Well then c'mon, Bro," said Leo.

"Right behind you, Leo."

**END**


	9. Horror

Horror

Title: Just Like the Movies

Summary: It was just like the movies, he was running, but it seemed like he was going no where...

Rated: PG-13  
Fandom: 2k3  
Genre: Horror/Suspense/Drama  
Dis: I don't own TMNT

**INSPIRED BY: 2k3's episode Darkness Within**

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It was just like one of those cliche horror movies, he was running, but it seemed like he was going no where. Darkness surrounded him and he saw nothing but a black abyss but he knew he had to keep going. He had to escape and he knew that if he didn't, he would be dead. Lungs burning he pushed even further, aware of the screeching sound behind him. Like nails on a chalkboard. Finally, there were two doors before him. One was black and the other white. He stopped for a moment, unsure, but he suddenly felt that who he was running from was behind him. He opened the white door and closed it behind him. He was now in a long hall. Where was the exit? The walls were white but the floor was black tile and he followed it, bare feet slightly slapping the tiles. There were no doors, no windows just nothing but plain walls. He heard the door open behind him and he quickly looked back...

And saw no one.

Stopping for a moment he rest. Leaning against the wall he grabbed his blue bandana tail and wiped at the sweat on his brow. He froze when the scraping sound started again. He looked to his right and saw sparks flying off of the wall, but not the cause of them. Swallowing down a whimper he started running again. The hall got darker and darker, smaller and smaller, until he was shimmying out of it. Finally, he was out and once again darkness surrounded him.

"Leonardo..." whispered a sinister voice, followed by a menacing laughing. It was all around him and he covered his ears as the volume increased. Fire raked across his arm and he winced, looking down to see triple slashes, blood oozing out of them. "I'm here, Leonardo..."

"No. You're dead!" he shouted.

"I'll never be dead. One Master falls and another rises..."

Leonardo was tired of running He was going to face his fear. He squared his shoulders and reached behind him and... Nothing. His katana were gone! He pushed the doubt and fear of being weaponless out of his mind and instead raised his fists. The blackness came closer, like tentacles it wrapped around his arms and legs, pulling him in closer. It whispered erotically across his skin as it traveled over his face, around his neck. The Shredder laughed with glee as a spike of fear made his heart beat faster. In the distance he saw a red light, two red lights. It got closer and closer and when he realized who it was approaching he tried to fight the darkness but it had already won. It had him and he was useless, like a puppet on strings all he could do was glare as the Shredder came to stand before him.

"Not so tough now, are you?" asked the Shredder. Leonardo tensed as triple claws traveled from the center of his chest up to his neck, pressing, drawing blood but not taking the killing blow. "Take away your family, weapons, and what do you have? Honor? Honor means nothing in a fight when you fight for your life. Darkness is everywhere, Leo."

_Leo_? Shredder never called him Leo! Dread spread from his gut up to his throat as a suddenly much taller and larger Shredder reached up to remove his helmet. Leonardo gasped as the face of his brother stared at him with such hate, such destain, that he opened his mouth and screamed.

"NO!" he shouted, fighting harder, his wrists and ankles burning from the friction. "NO! YOU WOULDN'T DO THIS!"

"Why not?" asked the turtle with red eyes, pointing a fighter at Leo's chest. "Remember? I'M the bad one. You said so."

"Raph... You're not I... I didn't mean it."

"You know its there. You see it everyday when we train. I'm BAD, Leo. I am uncontrollable. I'm a killer. A bad egg that should have been smashed the day my mother laid me. Admit it. I'm rotten."

"No. You're loyal, you have honor, Raph! You have friends and family who love you!"

"Fear me," whispered Raph, leaning in to whisper in Leo's ear canal. "They fear me. YOU fear me. I'm losin' it bro. I'm going dark and ain't no one going to be able to stop it."

"Raph..." Slowly, Raphael put the helmet back on. "RAPH! NO! STOP!"

"Goodnight sweet prince," mocked Raphael before raising his hand and slashing Leonardo across the throat.

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"NO!" shouted Leonardo, jackhammering up in bed, both hands going to his throat. He fought the vomit that wanted to travel up from his stomach, swallowing profusely he whipped his soaked blanket to the side and sprinted to the bathroom. He made it to the toilet and after a few dry heaves he finally went to the sink. He turned on the cold water and splashed it on his face and arms. The water was refreshing and helped calm him enough to look at up at the mirror. He jumped when seeing who was in the doorway. "Raph!"

"I heard screamin'," said his brother, twirling a sai. "Everythin' alright?"

"Yeah," said Leo, turning back to look into the mirror, staring at his reflection he saw nothing but his paled skin and haunted chocolate eyes. He tensed, ever so slightly, when he noticed three perfect scratches in a row on his arm and across his throat. "Everything is fine."

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END


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